Leather-marking machine.



P. J. LAPHAM.

o LEATHER MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILBD JUNI: 12,1912.

Patented July 14,1914.

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P. J. LAPHAM.

` LEATHER MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

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P. J. LAPHAM. LEATHER MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

Patented July 14,1914.

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'RAL J'. LAPHAM, OF GENOA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TU LACENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F MANCHESTER, HAMPSHIRE, A COBCEORATION 0F MAINE.

marmara-Annina MACHINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented amy ia, rara,

Urtginal application filed October 27,1906. Serial No. 3,210,889. Divided and this application tiled June 12, v1912. Serial No. 703,204. v

T0 all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL J. LAPHAM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Genoa, in the county'of Dekalb and State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Leather-Marking Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is amachine for grading i leather by skiving and markingthe leather piece,.and this particular case relates more i particularly to the marking mechanism, be-

shown in side elevation for clearness-of illuslng a division (by requirement of the Patent Office) of my original application Serial No. 340,889, led October 27, 1906. The machine is primarily intended for use in grading relatively stiff leather pieces such as are used for shoe-soles, taps, counters, etc.

The machine and its advantages Will be explained andthe operation thereof set forth in connection with the accompanying drawings, which present a preferred construction of my' invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isla central vertical longitudinal sectional view, parts being tration; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of a portion of lthe marking mechanism.;

-f Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thereof taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4 4,

Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is .a similar sectional view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 1; 6 shows the marking-wheel in side elevation; Fig. -7

shows in side elevation the controlling camin accordance with which the lgrading mech-v anismV is set; Fig.,8 is a`4 fragmentary. sectional view on the-'line 8, Fig. 1 and Fig. .94 is a view in side elevation showing the driv- 4 ing mechanism.

My invention relates 4tothat class of machines in which the leather -piece to be graded is entered between receiving members at the front ofthe machine which operate to position setting mechanism for transmitting the determinatlons or measurements of the leather which has been felt 'of by thel receiving' members, and skiving mechvanismy which then evens the leather by trimmin with the determinations of said previously mentioned. mechanisms, the leather being off the uneven places in accordance marked by marking4 mechanism to correspond to' the thickness determined.

One feature of my invention'resides in having the marking take place after the skiving or trimming as distinguished from eviously thereto, which' has heretofore w the rule. By this means l y secure clearer and betterrnarking inasmuch as the marking die makes its impressions on absolutely even stock instead of on uneven stock.

U Another" feature of my invention resides l-n-havlng the marking die stationary, thereby practically eliminating a chie-f source of unreliabillty in those marking mechanisms in which the marking Wheel or die has been lrequired to move up and down and g'o through various other automatic adjustments during movement, Also 1 provide means, preferably controlled by the leather itself whereby the marking takes place invariablyat a predetermined distance from one end of the leather piece, and the marking is done by a hammer-like'movem'ent of the leather against the relatively stationary marker. I

While my invention may be carried out in a wide range of mechanical forms, the form preferred for purposes of illustration to make the invention clearly understood is that-shown in thel drawings.

A rotary marker' 1, provided with projecting dies 2 and fast on a shaft 3, is journaled in brackets ty projecting rearwardly f romv the rear'nprights 5 of the main frame of the machine, and immediately adjacent and at the rear of said marker is a pair of rolls 6, 7, also carried by said brackets, the latter being journaled in journal blocks' 8 mounted to slide toward and from the roll 6, which has simplyv rotary movement in the brackets. The shaft 9 which carries the roll 7 projects at its opposite ends beyond the slide `blocks' 8 and is connected by links 10 to the projecting ends of a rod 11 which passes through a lever 12 whose front end 13 is in position to engagethe bottom end of a hammer or striker 14.- having [guided vertical movement in the brackets .4 dlrectly beneath the marker l1. The lever 12 is steadied and controlled in its movement by a pair of-rolls 15 carried on a cross bar 16.

at the rear yend of said lever and mounted'in' a recess 17 which is formed ,to extend ob- .liquelyupward and forward ina block 18 secured to across plate 19 of the brackets 4, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The slot 17 is open at its outer end 2() to allow the necesagainst theopposite die 2of -the die wheel 1.

The forward end ofthe 'leather piece being marked is held by the rolls 6, 7, while the intermediate portion oafv said leather piece rests `upon a skiving knife 21, and the rear end or`following end of the leather piece.

is rmly held by the adjacent' rolls 22, 23 of the skiving or evening mechanism. This gives a firmness and certainty of position to the leather piece so that .it isposit-ively gripped firmly at its opposite ends while receiving the marking impact, and inasmuch as said impact takes vplace instantly as soonI as the forward end ofthe leather piece arrives between the rolls 6, 7 it results that the mark is applied to each leather piece at the same predetermined distance from the forward end thereof as the successive pieces arrive in marking position. y. A.' further object is to give the leather an instantaneous Iblo-w like mark, and while this object canbe secured by various mechanisms, I have provided the striker or hammer 14 which is thrown or moved suddenly and forcibly against the under side of the leather while the latter is moving forward beneath the marker 1, and

this 'blow is sufficiently sudden to prevent blurring notwithstanding that the marker is stationary. As shown, the space between the hammer l4'and the die 1 is consider ably greater than the separation of the rolls 6 and 7 when the latter is raised bythe entrance of the sole, so that when said entrance suddenly raises the roll 7 and.v hence, through the members 10 and 12, tends to throw up- 'ward the hammer 14,'the` said hammer, having struck the leather, drops back slightly.

-"In this preferred embodiment ofvmy invention, I positively ydrive these various rolls so as still further to provide accuracy of movement'and position of the work, a gear 24 being herein shown as'secured on the shaft of the roll 6 and driven by the drive gear 25 of the roll 23 in mesh with 'a gear 26 on a shaft 27 driven by a pinion 28 on the drive shaft 29 which maybe driven by beltl and pulley at one end, not shown.) The roll 22 is driven by a large gear 30 and pinion 31, the latter -on the main drive shaft 29.

Tov insure the turning of the die wheel 1 into proper position so as to mark the' A leather' piece with that number or character which corresponds to the thickness to which it has been skived or evened by the trimming knife 21, I provide automatic thickness-measurin mechanism at the front of the machine an from whichpmotion is communicated-to the die wheel by a gear 32 fast on' the shaft 3 of said die wheel and actuated by a gear 33 fast on a shaft 34 which carries one or more limiting cams 35,' said shaft being vertically adjustable in the rear uprights 5 of the frame before mentioned. As herein shown, there are two of these limiting cams adjacent respectivelyl the opposite ends of the shaft 34,- and at about*l the middle of said shaft is a toothed member or gear 36 in mesh with a segmental rack 37 extending vertically at the rear end of a transmission lever 38 pivoted on a rod 39 on the front uprights 40 of the main frame ofthe machine. At its forward end beyond4 said pivot rod 39, the lever 38 has a vertical toothed segment or rack 41l Inesh-y .ing with an upstandin rack 42 supported in a frame 43 mounted or vertical movement in said uprights 40. A spring 44 yieldingly supports this rack 42 in said frame, and thel latter is given desired downward pressure by end springs- 45 adjustably mounted in the end uprights 40. Below this mechanism work-receiving members, herein shown as rollers 46', 47 are mounted Iin the frame, the latter being vertically movable and pivotally connected at its opposite ends on 'trunnions 48 in a frame 49. A track member or frame 50. is mounted to move with the roller 47, and traveling in a groove or track and provided with a roller or wheel 54 at its lower end to travel in said .track 51 and with anti-friction rolls 55 on its upper side bearing on a cross beam 56 of said frame 43. Thus when an uneven piece of leather enters between the work-receiving members and thereby lifts'the roll 47 more at one end than 'at the other, the carriage 52 will instantly slide to .the lowerend so as to gage or measure the thinner edge or portionof the leather piece at that moment, the result being that the frame 43 and hence the connecting rack and 'pinion mechanism 42, 41, 38, 37 and 36 are correspondingly operated sol as automatically to adjust thelimiting cams 35 in.accordance with 'said thinspot thus determined,v Guide wheels 57 are preferably provided' in the uprights 40 for directing the frame 43 in its vertical movements, y

and buffer-s 58 are providedfor stopping the sliding member in its endwise movements.

From the foregoingdescription, it will be understood that the measuring impulses of the work-receiving members are transmitted by the train of mechanism last described and by the 4ears 33, 32 to the die 'wheel 1.

, any suitable form, herein shown as threaded -bolts 59 adjustably mounted by nuts 60 in the end frames 61 of the upper roll 23 of .the skiving mechanism, said bolts havin V-shaped upper ends 62 to enter correspon ingly shaped notches. 63- formed inthe eccentricl peripheryof fthe cams 35 '(Fig, 7). As the leather piece is felt of or has its thickness determined by the work-receiving members' 46, 47, it passes along a guideway 64 andv beneath a hold-down 65 which serve to direct it accurately between theregulating rolls 22 and '23' of the skiving mechanism.- Thus, as soon as the leather piece has had its thickness measured or ascertained by the feeler mechanismat the front of the machine, said thickness measurement being transmitted by the intervening transmitting` mechanism back to the limiting cams 35the leather piece is fed forward by the receiving rolls 46, 47 and its front end engages between the rolls 22, 23, thereby lifting the latter and instantly engagin the locking bolts 59 with said cams, there y lockingv the latter against further movement and hold- 1n, them in their automatic adjustment, in whgich locked position it holds the marker of the marking mechanism until the leather piece has been' skived and correctly marked. l

To permit l,further adjustment and to enable the operator to regulate Athe height of the shaft 34 and cams 35 with such nicety as may be desired with relation to the skiving knife 21, I provide a wedge block or bar 66 operated by a threaded screw 67 and handwheel 68, as best .shown in Fig. 4, and,

journal-thel cam, shaft 34 in al vertically movable carrier or frame 69 mounted to slide up and 'down in the uprights 5 and provided *withA inclined upper ends 70 for engaging the wedge blocks lor bar 66. This carrier or frame 69 is normally held upward by springs 71. The receiving roll 46 is driven by a gear 72 in mesh with the/ pinion 31, and the roll 47 is driven by a gear 73 in mesh with the pinion 26.

rlhel operation: 'As the operation of the feeler mechanism or thickness-determining Iportion of thel apparatus 'and the transmitting' mechanism, the ,evening or skiving mechanism, and the mechanism as a whole for grading the leather pieces (using the word grading 7 generically to cover the mechanism which acts upon the leather piece, whether for evening or marking) are ceiviieg rens,

not claimed herein butin the parent case, where the full operation is explicitlyv set forth, it is unnecessary to recapitulate the details of eperaticn herein, this case relating primari, dc 'the markfmg4 mechanism per se. As the stock passes between the re- A ll it raises the upper one, tilting thel same if the stock is sufficiently. uneven to do so, and thereby the superimposed vertically movable mechanism .and rack and pinion connections from the front tothe back, transmitting the measurement thus ascertained to the notched limiting cams 35y vand their shaft 34, whose gear 33 is correspondingly turned by the rocking of said shaft' and thereby instantly, through the gear 32, adjusts the die wheel 1 so as to'turn the particular die number into operative position which corresponds to the thickness of the leather piece determined by the thick-' ness-measuring mechanism. As the leather piece proceeds, its forward en d passes between the re lating rolls of the evening tween the receiving rolls, and as soon as the ymechanism w cile' the stock is still held bestock lifts the upper 'regulating roll, the setting mechanism 1s thereby locked against movement in any direction by the engagement of the bolts 59 with the cams 35. The positively vdriven rolls ofthe evening mechanism compel 'thestock to moveforward into engagement with the `skiving knife,

thereby rendering the forward end of saidl stock absolutely veven, and as this forward 4 end reaches the/rolls 6, 7, -it forcibly lifts the upper roll andthereby, through the links 10 and connected parts, actuates the striker 14 which constitutes the impression device in t e wording of certain claims) to deliverl ent iron or grade from^ that which it actually is. Also, as the forward movement of ithe leather itself trips the striker of the marking mechanism, it follows that the marking of all the pieces graded takes place at an absolutely uniform distance from the front e dv ofthe stock. 'Moreoven as the die is s ationary yat the moment when the stock is marked by it, the marking is rendered clean-cut or clear without blurring,- a feature of considerable practical advantage, as' distinguished vfrom having the markerturn or swing or otherwiseI move down Aupon the stock at the moment of marking; As 'the stock, at the moment of marking, is under continuous forward movement, it is ofladvantage to have the marking accomplished by an instantaneously operated striker. For this, reason the striker is relatively heavy and the operating mechanism therefor is given a sudden strongupward impulse which tends to throw the striker with a'hammerlike impact against the broader the leatheii held-against.slipping-:abita apb 'posits` ends vand positivelyv pulled: forward by the rollsf, 7 airet the retarding action orfpull ofthe slnvingknife, ythefleather 1s maintained fla-t* andv under inpre or less strain, which, in connection with the up ward bending of the-stock'under the; blow ofthe striker, still furthertends t0 produce aneat, clear accurate marking on the' leather at thespot desired. y

It will be understood 'that my invention` is capable 'of a wide variety of mechanical embodiments within the spirit and lscope of of my claims as hereinafter set forth. y l 'L Having described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for'grading leather shoeparts, a movable marker having a tendency to oscillate, means for automatically adjusting said marker to the grade of the leather piece, means to hold said marker stationary at the moment of marking, and means for forcibly ressing the leather against the f marker w ile thus held stationary.

2. In a machine of the class described,

Ameans for positively holdin a leather piece at its opposite ends, a mar erfor marking the leather piece between .said ends, and

means coperating with the holding means for. one of .the ends for exerting pressure between the leather piece and marker, combined with means for automatically adjusting said marker to the grade of the leather piece.

3. In a machine of the class described,

. means for engaging the opposite sides of a leather piece whose thinnest ortion is to be ascertamed, coperating mec anism for coyoperatin with said engaging means for'automatica ly obtaining the thickness-measurement of said thinnest portion of the leather piece', means. for marking said piece in accordance withl said measurement, in-

Y' cluding a marker normally movable but which is stationary at the moment of markin'g, for engaging the leather piece on one side,-means4 for adjusting said marker to designate the said thickness-measurement, and a pressure-applying device for 'positively engaging the leather piece on the side opposite' to said marker and pressing said piece against the marker.

4. In a machine of thel class described,

the combination with means controlled by the leather pieces Ifor regulating the thickness-mark with which said pieces are t o be marked, and normally movable means for marking in accordance'therewith a series of leather pieces at the same unv'arying distance from one end, including means for maintaining said marker stationary at `the moment of marking.

5. Ina machine of thel class described,

.grade thus obtained.

- i-,icaeao :marking mechanism, including' a marker *which is stationaryl at the moment of marking, and coperatmg mechanism automatically' actuated to edect the marking at a predetermined distance from one end thereof, combined with means for obtaining the .grade foithe leather piece, and 'f-means for,

afdjusting'said'marking mechanism to mark the lleather piece in accordance with the 6. In a machine of the class described, a l marker which lis stationaryv at the moment of marking, and coperating mechanism autovmatically actuated by the presence of the leather piece topress said marker and leather piece together, combined with means for automatically obtaining the grade of the leather piece at the thinnest point thereof, and means for automatically adjusting said marker tothe grade thus obtained.

7. In a; machine of the class described, means for automatically obtaining the grade of a leather piece, an adjustable marker for marking the leather piece in accordance with said grade, means for automatically adjusting said marker 'to the grade thus obtained, a striker` located to engage the leather piece opposite said marker and strike the leather against the marker to receive the grade-mark, and tripping mechanism actuated by the' .leather piece for so operating said striker.

8. In a machine of the class described,

means' for automatically obtaining the grade of a leather piece, an adjustable marker for marking the leather piece in accordancewithv said grade, means for automatically adjusting said marker to the grade thus obtained, said marker being stationary at the moment of marking, 'a striker located to engage the leather piece opposite,

.said marker and strike the leather against the marker when the latter is stationary, and tripping mechanism actuated by the leather piece for so operating -said striker.

9. In a machine of the class described, a marker for engaging the upper side of a leather piece, a striker formomentarily engaging the under side of said leather piece, and tripping means actuated by the leather piece for throwing said striker with a hammerlike blow upward against the leather piece combined with means for automatically obtaining the grade of the leather piece, and means for adjusting said marker to the grade-'thus obtained.

10. In a machine of the class described, a markerfor engaging the upper side of a leather piece, a striker for momentarily engaging the under side of said leather piece, and tripping mechanism actuated by the leather piece for throwing said striker with a hammerlike, blow upward against the leather. piece, constructed. to permit the striker to drop'b'ack instantly,combined with means for automatically obtainin the grade of the leather piece, and means or adjust-` ing the said marker to the Vgrade'thus ob-' tained.

11. In a machine of the class'described, a marker, automatlc thickness .measuring mechanism for feeling okfaleather piece and detecting the thinnest po-rtion thereof, setting mechanism automatically controlled by said lirst named mechanism forfsetting-said marker in accordance with the thickness' detectedI atsaid thinnest portion, locking mechanism for feeling of a leatherpiece,

setting mechanism for setting saidl marker in accordance with the thickness measured, automatic means actuated by the presence of the leather piece for locking the marker when set, and means cooperating with said marker for marking the leather piece when in position to be marked.

13. In .a machine -of the class described, work-receiving members, setting mechanism and connections therefrom responsive to said members, locking meansv operated by the work for locking-said setting mechanism, and marking mechanism including a marker adjusted by said setting mechanism for marking the work while the work is still locking said setting mechanism.

14. In a machine of the class described,

means, including ya marking die, controlled by the thinnest portion of the, material, vfor regulating the thickness to which the material is to be marked, an impression device cooperating-with the die, means adapted to engage said device for. forcing the material by means of said impression device against the marking die, and means controlled by.

the presence of the material for causing the last said means ,to operate the impression device, the 'impression-device operatingmeans b ein'g constructed'and arranged to return to its normalpposition when the saidv impresslon device assumes lts normal p'osltion.

15. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination of means including amarking die controlled by the thinnest portion of the material for regulating the thickness to which the material is to be marked, said first mentioned means also including means controlled by the presence of the material for automatically setting said die, an impression `device coperating with the die, means adapted to engage said device for forcing the material against the marking die, means controlled by the presence of the material for causing the last said means 'to operate the impression device, said impression-device operating-means bein" constructed and arranged to return to it' normal position when the said' impression device assumes its normal position, and means for automatically-returning, said die and the 'regulating means to .their Vnor'r'n'al positions when the material isno'lon er present.

.16. In!combination,in.-a: ma ine of the class described, a marking device, comprising a marking'die, and an impression device, between which die and impressiondevice the material is adapted to ass, means controlled by the presence of te Imaterial for automatically setting said die, a member adapted to beI moved into engagement with` the impression device -for causing. the latter to force the material againstthe die, a movable member adapted to be engaged by the material, and a connection between said members for operating the first one ofsaid members.

17. In combination, Ain a lmachinevof the class described, a marking device comprising a die and an impression device, between which die and impression device the -material 'is adapted to ass, means controlled by the presence of te material Jfor automatically setting `the die, an inchnedl support, a member one end of which rests upon the support, the other end being adapted to be brought into engagement with the-impression device for causing the latter to force the material against the' die, a movable member adapted to 'be engaged by thematerial, and a connection between said memgers for operating the'rst one of said memers.-

18. In combination, ina machine of the class described, a marking device comprising a die and an impression device, between which die and impression device the material is. adapted topass, means controlledl by, the presence of the material for automatically setting the die, an inclined Asupport, a member one endof which rests upon the support, the other end being ada ted to 'be brought into engagement with t e impression device for causing the latter to force the material against the die,famovable member adapted to. be engaged by the ma- Iterial and a connection, betweensaid members for operating the irst one ofthe members, and means for preventing'displacement of the said movable member.

19. Ina machine of the class described, means for marking a leather piece, including an automatically adjustable marker which is stationary at the-moment of marking, for engaging the leather piece on 'one side, and a pressure-applying device for positively engaging the leather piece on the opposite side and pressing the same against the marker, combined with means for obtaining the grade of the .leather piece, means ree eA .W www@ the leather piece, prior toseid markingand name to th is specicatiomin the Vpresence of pressure-applying operatlonss and poweroptwo subscnbing' Witnesses.`

erating-mecham'sm for automatically 'actu- PAUL J. 'LAPHA.M. 5 atin the aforesaid mentioned arts of the Witnesses:

mac ine in the aforesaid time relation to EMBA BUCK,

each other. HOWARD H. KING.

for djustingsaid marker'to-,saidf grade off.' In testimony whereof, Inhave signed my 

